Method of building railway-cars.



- O. P. MURRAY.

METHOD OF BUILDING RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1913.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SH-EET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1913.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

2 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

WNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. MURRAY, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE FOWLER CAR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF BUILDING RAILWAY-CARS.

Application filed November 24, 1913.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES F. MURRAY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Building Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a novel method of building railway cars and has particular reference to a method of building single sheath steel frame box cars.

In the construction of steel frame single sheath box cars, it is customary to assemble and rivet together the frame members forming a steel skeleton. To the interior of this steel skeleton the side planking is bolted, the planking extending longitudinally of the car and being placed in edge to edge contact. The frame members are preferably suitably punched to provide round or slotted apertures for attaching bolts. Much difliculty has been experienced in building such cars whereby to secure an intimate edge to edge contact of the side planks throughout their entire length due to warping and irregularities and I have herein. disclosed a method whereby such difficulties may be overcome and the sheathing rapidly and advantageously secured to the frame members.

Mechanism by which my novel methodmay be carried out is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a car side in process of construction, the view showing two steps in the operation; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the construction shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the car side practically completed, with both permanent and temporary tightening means applied thereto, and, Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section through the construction shown in Fig. 3.

My method contemplates the construction of a steel skeleton which may consist of side sills 10, vertical posts 11, diagonals l2, and plate 13. To this skeleton is first applied a small number of planks, say five, such as shown in thetright hand portion of Fig. 1, these planks 14; being loosely laid against the interior of the steel skeleton and held in place by suitable shoring 15, such as shown in Fig. 2. Tightening devices such as the chain 16, having a hook 17 on its upper end,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

Serial No. 802,639.

are hooked over the top plank. Downward pressure may be exerted on the chain by means of a threaded rod 18, which is hooked to the chain at 19. An abutment 20, engages the side sill and forms a stop for the hub of a hand wheel 21, which is threaded on the rod 18. Very great downward pressure may be exerted in this manner, the force being applied at a number of points in the length of the planks. After the planks have been brought into edge to edge engagement, holes are bored through the planks in register with the slots 22, in the frame members and preferably at the extreme upper end of the slot. The bolts are then passed through the registering openings and after being secured by suitable nuts the tightening means are released the planks being held by the bolts. This operation is then continued for another series of planks such as shown in the left hand portion of Fig. 1, these being securely tightened, holes bored in the planks and bolts applied, the tightening means being then removed. This is continued until the side is completely built up. If preferred, permanent tightening or holding means may be applied to the planks such as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, in which View a bracket is riveted to a vertical post 11, through an aperture in which a short rod 24, extends, such rod having a hook on its upper end engaging the top planks of the series and having its lower end threaded for engagement by a nut 25, through which downward pres sure may be exerted on the planks as shrinkage occurs which would tend to open up spaces between adjacent members.

By my method the car side may be satisfactorily built very quickly, the tightening means shown being readily applied and removed as required. It will be understood that as the side planking is built up bracing or shoring members are applied on the inside to retain the planks in place until they are bolted to the frame.

It is obvious that the apparatus herein shown is only typical of other forms which might be employed in carrying out my method. I do not therefore wish to be limited to the apparatus herein shown and described.

I claim:

1. The method of building railway cars which consists in applying a relatively small number of planking members to the interior i of a metallic skeleton, tightening said planks to secure an intimate edge to edge engage ment thereof, maintaining said planks in such tightened condition While providing apertures in register With previously formed apertures in the metallic frame, bolting said planking to the metallic frame, then releasing the tightening pressure on said planks and repeating the operations for other series of said planks until said Wall is completed, substantially as described.

2. The method of building railway cars which consists in applying a relatively small number of planks to the interior of a metallic frame, maintaining said planking against horizontal displacement While being secured to said frame, then applying verti- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

cal tightening force whereby said planking is forced into intimate edge to edge engagement, boring said planking to provide apertures registering with apertures in said metallic frame, permanently securing said planking to the frame by bolts passing through said registering apertures, then discontinuing said vertical tightening force, then applying additional series of planks to said metallic frame, tightening and securing the same to the frame members until the Wall is completed, substantially as described.

CHARLES F. MURRAY. Y

Witnesses:

HENRY M. I'IUXLEY, T. D. BUTLER.

Washington, D. C. 

